Talking About Race in Schools

In 1998, the American Anthropological Association (AAA) published a statement on race. It concluded that race is a social idea, not a biological fact. In bringing this message to the public, it created a museum exhibit called “Race: Are We So Different?” that toured across the country. The exhibit brings up some difficult questions, especially for parents and teachers.

Yolanda Moses, President of the AAA from 1995 to 1997, wanted to go even further. She wondered how to get Americans talk to their kids about race and identity. So Moses and her colleagues created a teaching guide for middle and high school teachers based on the museum exhibit.

This week on the podcast, Moses says children as young as four years old should be taught why people look different – and why they are treated differently – in American society.

A get-tough attitude prevailed among educators in the 1980s and 1990s, but research shows that zero-tolerance policies don't make schools safer and lead to disproportionate discipline for students of color.